Auqib Nabi

A swing bowler with impeccable line and length and the ability to move the ball both ways, Aquib Nabi became the toast of the nation after two breathtaking Ranji Trophy seasons where he picked up 104 wickets across the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons. The second was critical, where he finished as the season's highest wicket-taker: 60 wickets in 17 innings at 12.65 as Jammu and Kashmir won a historic maiden Ranji title. Nabi was the architect of J&K's season and was named the player of the tournament.

Known as the 'Baramulla Express', Nabi was born to a government school teacher in Baramulla, a town with little or no cricket facilities. He grew up wanting to play football, but the love for "tez (fast) bowling" got him hooked. The closest ground from his home was in Srinagar, over 50 kilometres away but that didn't deter him and he soon became J&K's premier seamer. While he started as a predominantly red-ball bowler, Nabi has sharpened his white-ball skills over time and picked up 15 wickets in seven outings at the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. During the 2025-26 season, he was bought by Delhi Capitals for INR 8.40 crore at the auction, his first bid at the IPL.